If you saw Mel Gibson’s movie, or you heard about it on television, you may be asking, “Who Killed Jesus?”
That’s a question many people are now asking because of the movie, "The Passion of the Christ". Some people argue that the Romans killed Him; others say it was the Jews. If you are already a Christian, you probably believe that it was not the Romans or the Jews who killed Jesus--it was “everybody.” He went to the cross as a sacrifice and a ransom for the sins that all of us have ever committed (Mark 10:45).
If you are not a Christian, you may be thinking that all sounds crazy. In fact, if you’re not a Christian, you may be thinking something like this:
“That was a long time ago. Besides, even if I would have been there, I certainly wouldn’t have killed Jesus. He was a good man who didn’t deserve to die. Other people might have wanted Him killed, but I had nothing to do with it (imagine Jesus tied to a pillar to be whipped).
“Of course, I don’t believe that Jesus was God. He certainly was a good man, but no more than Mohammed or Buddha (the whip strikes Jesus the first time).
“Besides, I don’t have time for religion in my life (the whip strikes again). I work hard all week, and I need some time off on Sundays. God isn’t against rest and recreation, is He? I mean, Sunday is a day of rest, right? (another crack of the whip).
“I believe there’s a God, but look at all of the religions around the world. Who’s to say which one is right? (a longer stroke of the whip). Doesn’t the Bible say if you’re a good person you’ll get to heaven, no matter what? (Jesus cries louder as the whip strikes harder).
“At least I’m no hypocrite. I know lots of people who claim to be Christians on Sunday and live it up pretty good the rest of the week. So I don’t claim to be something I’m not (the whip slashes Jesus’ already bleeding back). And I haven’t broken any of the big commandments, like murdering someone, so I think I’m good enough for God (a bleeding Jesus starts carrying His cross to His crucifixion).
“And what about all of the evil and suffering in this world? If God is so powerful, why doesn’t He do something about it? (Jesus stumbles and falls at
“What it comes down to is this: to me, the story of Jesus is just that--a sad story of a good person who got killed (the cross is lifted into the air). I can’t see where it has anything to do with me (Jesus cries out, ‘Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing’). Some people at a church might say He’s their ‘Savior,’ but me, I don’t need to be saved (a shadow falls over Jesus’ face as He dies).
“It had nothing to do with me.”
Or did it? Listen to what the Bible says:
“The fact is, it was our pains he carried--our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him--our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And GOD has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.” (Isaiah 53:4-6, The Message Bible)
“There’s nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score. . . And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else. . .{But God] got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. . . .”
“As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.
“But now that you’ve found that you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. . . .” (from Romans 3:10-26 and 6:19-23, The Message Bible).
If you now realize that Jesus did die for you, and you want to receive the “real life, the eternal life,” that God has waiting for you, it’s easier than you think: click here. If you want to know more about the Christian life or more about Jesus, look at the other Questions on this web page, or e-mail us at highlandpark@pcisys.net . We’ll respond as soon as we can.
